Ask Larry

Will My Personal SS Benefits Continue To Grow Until Age 70 If I'm Receiving Widow's Benefits?

I am currently 66yo. I retired at 61yo. I started collecting widows benefits at 62yo. Will my personal SS benefits continue to grow until I turn 70yo, and should I go to SSA and see if my personal SS benefits are greater than what I am currently receiving?

Hi,

Yes, your own Social Security retirement benefit rate would continue to grow until you reach age 70 as a result of delayed retirement credits (DRC). The fact that you're drawing survivor benefits has no adverse effect on your own benefit rate.

And, yes, when you're nearing age 70 it would be a good idea to check with Social Security to see if you could qualify for a higher benefit amount by switching to your own Social Security retirement benefits. The Social Security benefit calculator in our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) could calculate your potential benefit rate and help you determine the best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry

Posted: 
Jun 1 2020 - 7:45am
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